The Daily Grind

  TUT . Time Under Tension. An extremely simple principle that I don't believe enough people pay attention to. If you are looking for muscle growth, understanding the principle of TUT will greatly benefit you. In the most basic of terms, Time Under Tension in relation to muscle growth and fatigue can be broken down into 3 phases of time: Looking to build strength and power?   Make sure your set does not exceed 20 seconds 5 - 15 seconds is probably ideal Consequently, this time range usually allows for a 1-5 rep range A lower rep count allows for max force output and the movement of greater loads, as muscle endurance does not play much of a factor in the 1-5 rep range greater loads = greater potential force output = greater power/strength results Looking to build muscle mass? Make sure your set falls within the 20-60 second rep range  30 - 50 seconds is probably ideal Consequently, this time range usually allows for reps within the 6-12 rep range A moderate rep count allow...

**Please know that my advice is general advice for the general fitness athlete looking to improve their health and reach their own personal health and fitness goals. My advice more often than not should work for the general fitness populace. It probably does not apply to competitors in the sports of say powerlifting, bodybuilding, or weightlifting. Those sports are highly specific, and as such often require personalized advice on a case-by-case basis in order to help an individual maximize his or her results in those sports. That being said, let's jump into the article!         Nowadays, for better or worse, everyone wants to be "cut-up", "shredded", "chiseled". Everyone wants those "oh so precious" washboard abs that they see on all the photos of the fitness influencers. To each his or her own. I cannot pass judgment in that realm as I have definitely fallen victim to prioritizing the elusive six-pack over all else multiple times in my fitn...

     Many people are familiar with the  Barbell Front Squat , but few have tried its sinister kettlebell cousin. Enter the Kettlebell Front Rack Squat , an exercise that will challenge you like few other movements. When done correctly, the kettlebell front rack squat humbles most individuals. The squat movement will obviously challenge your entire lower body - glutes, calves, quads, and hamstrings. The stabilization of the front rack position will work your core stabilizers, shoulders, and spinal erectors overtime.       Whereas the BARBELL front squat allows for a flat barbell that can fit neatly across your shoulders in the front rack position, the kettlebell front squat has the added complexity of having to stabilize two oddly shaped kettlebells in the front rack position. This challenges your smaller stabilizing muscles just a bit more. Think of squatting a 225-pound barbell in the front rack position versus front squatting with two 112.5 poun...

**Stay with me. This article starts off a bit abstract, but I promise it comes together! Time . the one thing we as humans value above just about everything else is our time. We are constantly looking to find better ways to maximize our time.  Why do many people like working remotely? one reason is it saves them the time they would spend commuting. Why are podcasts and audiobooks so popular? People can listen to podcasts and audiobooks and learn WHILE they are attending to less mindful tasks such as yard work, eating, or driving. They no longer need to devote specific TIME to sit down and read a book to learn. Why are "High-Intensity Interval Training" (HIIT) workouts so popular? One of the primary reasons is that people can get more exercise done in less time. They burn more calories in less time. HIIT workouts are more efficient at burning calories versus slower, steady-state cardio.  All of the above are more popular because they are more time-saving practices that allow...

An age-old question in the fitness world. "The chinup or the pullup: Which will help me build more muscle?" You can search the internet and see tens of hundreds of articles written on the subject. The answer is it depends on your goals.  Both exercises are fantastic and both focus on training muscles within the anterior and posterior muscles of the upper body. Due to their differing grip positions, however, each exercise emphasizes those muscles in different proportions. THE CHINUP: When performing the chinup, an individual grips the bar with his or her palms facing him or herself (think of performing a bicep curl with a barbell. This grip position). This is called a supinated grip . This supinated grip allows for greater activation of the anterior upper body muscles versus the pullup's pronated grip. The biceps, chest, abdominals, and obliques will all be emphasized more in the chinup versus the pullup.  THE PULLUP:  When performing the pullup, an individual grips the ba...

  Welcome to the third and final article in this 3 part series of "Muscle Growth For The Beginner". In this final piece, we tackle how one's nutrition plays a role in his or her beginner muscle gains. Nutrition in my opinion is the most important piece for gaining quality muscle as a beginner. Hence why I saved it for last. Let's jump into the key principles you should be adhering to as a beginner looking to grow optimal, high-quality muscle: 1. Energy In MUST BE GREATER THAN Energy Out First of all, I am not going to make the argument that all calories are created equal in quality when trying to gain muscle. Caloric amounts being equal, the quality of 300 calories you get from a grass-fed steak will help you much more in gaining muscle versus 300 calories from a hostess twinkie. This is due to the fact that the grass-fed steak is loaded with much more micronutrients your body needs to build muscle versus the twinkie (which I'm not sure if a twinkie has any micron...

     Welcome to the second installment of Muscle Growth for Beginners. Part Two will focus on the key principles for building muscle outside of the gym. While these principles hold true for beginners, they likewise hold true for just about anyone else looking for best practices on building muscle outside of the gym. So without further delay... 1. Sleep: You should be aiming for 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. You should also try your best to have a consistent sleep schedule, going to bed and waking up around the same time each day, including on the weekends. 2. Water Intake: Aim to drink at least half your body weight in ounces of water each day. Do not drink more than equal to your body weight in ounces of water each day. 3. Active Recovery: An often overlooked piece of the pie, active recovery is very important in enhancing your muscle growth via helping your muscles recover. When I refer to active recovery, I am referring to very low-intensity walking, stationary bik...

**This article is for the beginning, novice lifter. If you are an advanced lifter or above, you most likely already know these principles. This article probably will not be anything new to you. This article on muscle building for the beginner is in the scope of the most effective muscle-building practices pertaining to the gym. Enjoy! For all the individuals new to lifting weights, this article is for you! Jumping into the gym for the first time can be very overwhelming. All different types of weights and machines to use. All different types of training programs and workout regimes to get started on. You may come in excited to lift, but many beginning lifters often feel lost and frustrated with the overload of sensory information coming their way. I want to put out a few simple principles that will guarantee that you, the beginner, will be able to confidently step into the gym every workout, knowing you are doing the right thing. So, without further ado, below are the principles of mus...